Originally posted by: ahurtt
Originally posted by: Queasy
Originally posted by: funboy42
But on the op that is tacky and classless and more then fines shoud be laid down apon him imo. Proffesional football players are looked up to by many children starting out in the sport and this doesnt show them any kind of sportsman like conduct at all and what the sport is about. Now if it was hockey thats the norm but it shouldnt take place in football and should be out of hockey as well too.
He should be suspended for the rest of the year at least. What was the penalty for that hockey player that maliciously whacked another hockey player in the head with his hockey stick and drove him into the ice? Wasn't it a one or two year suspension? This sounds just as bad if not worse.
Suspended?! My ass! He should be removed from the league and imprisoned for aggravated assault and battery. It's time we send a message to these spoiled brat athletes that you cannot get away with this kind of behavior in a civilized society. Just because you do what you did on a football field does not mean laws should not apply to you. If you did this to somebody on the street you can bet your sweet ass you'd be charged with something and be jailed. This is just flat out criminal behavior and should be treated as such. This man should never set foot on the grid iron again.
Originally posted by: wyvrn
Bingo. But you know what kept him out of it? The NFL knows they cannot penalize their stars seriously because it will degrade the league, and the player's union will revolt. They are too strong. So instead the NFL relies on past weak fines and suspensions as precedent.
Originally posted by: NicePants42
Originally posted by: wyvrn
Bingo. But you know what kept him out of it? The NFL knows they cannot penalize their stars seriously because it will degrade the league, and the player's union will revolt. They are too strong. So instead the NFL relies on past weak fines and suspensions as precedent.
That statement should be insulting to all NFL players. I would hope that:
1. NFL players would support their own safety, and the overall integrity of the sport by NOT 'revolting' over a reasonable punishment.
2. The public would side against the players if they did 'revolt'.
I'd like an explanation on how 'serious punishments' would 'degrade the league' as well. If punishments aren't serious, how are they NOT degrading the league?
Originally posted by: Queasy
Originally posted by: Fingolfin269
One of the Nashville news stations held a poll on whether or not Albert should have criminal charges brought against him. It was something like 77% in favor of such an action.
Heard on the radio this morning that the Nashville police said they were willing to worth with the Cowboy and Garoud if they wanted to press charges. Apparently they don't though.
Originally posted by: wyvrn
Originally posted by: NicePants42
Originally posted by: wyvrn
Bingo. But you know what kept him out of it? The NFL knows they cannot penalize their stars seriously because it will degrade the league, and the player's union will revolt. They are too strong. So instead the NFL relies on past weak fines and suspensions as precedent.
That statement should be insulting to all NFL players. I would hope that:
1. NFL players would support their own safety, and the overall integrity of the sport by NOT 'revolting' over a reasonable punishment.
2. The public would side against the players if they did 'revolt'.
I'd like an explanation on how 'serious punishments' would 'degrade the league' as well. If punishments aren't serious, how are they NOT degrading the league?
According to my local news last night, the players union has asked Haynesworth to appeal the suspension. Haynesworth said he will not, but the union (of his peers) is asking him to do it anyway. This is heinous because 1) the suspension is legit and too soft anyway and 2) Gurode is also a player, so are they sacrificing one of their own members to make a point? This invalidates your point number 1.
For your second point, I agree. But the commissioner's office often panders to the players union because it is so strong. And the players' union almost always urges appeal any suspensions and fines, that is why the punishment in the NFL is so wussy compared to other sports.
Originally posted by: NicePants42
Originally posted by: wyvrn
Originally posted by: NicePants42
Originally posted by: wyvrn
Bingo. But you know what kept him out of it? The NFL knows they cannot penalize their stars seriously because it will degrade the league, and the player's union will revolt. They are too strong. So instead the NFL relies on past weak fines and suspensions as precedent.
That statement should be insulting to all NFL players. I would hope that:
1. NFL players would support their own safety, and the overall integrity of the sport by NOT 'revolting' over a reasonable punishment.
2. The public would side against the players if they did 'revolt'.
I'd like an explanation on how 'serious punishments' would 'degrade the league' as well. If punishments aren't serious, how are they NOT degrading the league?
According to my local news last night, the players union has asked Haynesworth to appeal the suspension. Haynesworth said he will not, but the union (of his peers) is asking him to do it anyway. This is heinous because 1) the suspension is legit and too soft anyway and 2) Gurode is also a player, so are they sacrificing one of their own members to make a point? This invalidates your point number 1.
For your second point, I agree. But the commissioner's office often panders to the players union because it is so strong. And the players' union almost always urges appeal any suspensions and fines, that is why the punishment in the NFL is so wussy compared to other sports.
I see where you're coming from regarding the player's union. However, saying that the Player's Union asked him to appeal does not mean that all of his peers think he should - it COULD mean that only a few of his peers (in the leadership of the union) or it COULD mean that a 'representative' of the players union made the suggestion. I tend to think that most of Haynesworth's peers think that he SHOUDN'T appeal, and have told him so, because according to your local news, Hayensworth doesn't want to appeal. If all of his peers were telling him to appeal, I think he would. Since he doesn't want to, (according to your new source) I think it's save to assume that his peers are telling him he'd be a total jackass to appeal the suspension, and I think those peers would be right.
As for the commissioner being soft, the new commissioner (I don't know his name) just got into the office like 5 weeks ago, IIRC. ESPN commented that it's much better for a new commisioner to err on the side of severity, so that he doesn't appear to be a little wanker in the public eye. I tend to agree with this analysis, and while it may be true that the commissioner usually cows, I don't think that will be the case here.
I think that should Haynesworth appeal, Gurode should press charges - and those right there are the two courses of action that would probably be most degrading to the NFL, which is why I don't think either will happen.
Well said.Originally posted by: wyvrn
It's degrading to the NFL that they allow felonies to occur on the field of play and give out slaps on the wrist. More type of thuggish behavior will ensue because the punishment does not fit the crime. This was not a penalty, this was a CRIME. Assault. Had this happened in a bar, Haynesworth would be in jail. And for ANYONE in the players' union to suggest an appeal questions the integrity of that entire organization, because that organization represents the players, of which Gurode is one.
Originally posted by: NicePants42
Well said.Originally posted by: wyvrn
It's degrading to the NFL that they allow felonies to occur on the field of play and give out slaps on the wrist. More type of thuggish behavior will ensue because the punishment does not fit the crime. This was not a penalty, this was a CRIME. Assault. Had this happened in a bar, Haynesworth would be in jail. And for ANYONE in the players' union to suggest an appeal questions the integrity of that entire organization, because that organization represents the players, of which Gurode is one.
However, I would think that the NFL has been taking some steps behind the scenes to make sure that this doesn't happen again. By 'taking steps' I mean telling people that the next player who does something like this can deal with the criminal charges.
Speaking of criminal charges, how long does Gurode have to press them?
Originally posted by: Atheus
Happens quite a bit in rugby - no helmets. Still that sounds pretty bad...
Originally posted by: Atheus
Originally posted by: Queasy
Originally posted by: Atheus
Originally posted by: rambow
Originally posted by: Atheus
Happens quite a bit in rugby - no helmets. Still that sounds pretty bad...
not to fuel up the rugby/football debate, but rugby guys don't look like this:
http://www.titansproshop.com/images/products/medium/8908_haynesworth.jpg
Do they don't. That guy looks fat and unfit.
If you think AMerican football teams are bigger or tougher you have never seen a rugby team. A very quick google image search turns up these:
http://www.tomwardsport.com/assets/images/portfolio.jpg
http://images.supersport.co.za/HabanaTacklesSANZ105.jpg
/Edit: how bout Jonah Lomu for a big scary guy?
http://website.lineone.net/~malcolm.hough/JONAH%20LOMU%20IN%20ACTION.jpg
http://www2.raisport.rai.it/news/sport/rugby/199910/13/3804bef8017b3/lomu1.jpg
http://www.uvea-mo-futuna.com/IMG/sosefo.jpg
American football players bigger? Most definitely. You don't see very many Rugby players running around at 250-350lbs.
Lomu is 6'5" and 120kg - that's got to be over 250lb, and he's not even a 'prop', who is usually the heaviest member of a team.
Why would American football players be bigger? Americans are not naturally bigger than europeans or anything like that...
And I say again - the guy pictured as an example of an NFL player is fat. This is no good in rugby as you have to run for 80 minutes.
Originally posted by: CadetLee
Originally posted by: Atheus
Originally posted by: Queasy
Originally posted by: Atheus
Originally posted by: rambow
Originally posted by: Atheus
Happens quite a bit in rugby - no helmets. Still that sounds pretty bad...
not to fuel up the rugby/football debate, but rugby guys don't look like this:
http://www.titansproshop.com/images/products/medium/8908_haynesworth.jpg
Do they don't. That guy looks fat and unfit.
If you think AMerican football teams are bigger or tougher you have never seen a rugby team. A very quick google image search turns up these:
http://www.tomwardsport.com/assets/images/portfolio.jpg
http://images.supersport.co.za/HabanaTacklesSANZ105.jpg
/Edit: how bout Jonah Lomu for a big scary guy?
http://website.lineone.net/~malcolm.hough/JONAH%20LOMU%20IN%20ACTION.jpg
http://www2.raisport.rai.it/news/sport/rugby/199910/13/3804bef8017b3/lomu1.jpg
http://www.uvea-mo-futuna.com/IMG/sosefo.jpg
American football players bigger? Most definitely. You don't see very many Rugby players running around at 250-350lbs.
Lomu is 6'5" and 120kg - that's got to be over 250lb, and he's not even a 'prop', who is usually the heaviest member of a team.
Why would American football players be bigger? Americans are not naturally bigger than europeans or anything like that...
And I say again - the guy pictured as an example of an NFL player is fat. This is no good in rugby as you have to run for 80 minutes.
He's still bigger..nobody's saying he can run faster/longer.
Originally posted by: F22 Raptor
I am all for sportsmanship, but a 5 game suspension is the most he should get.
I am also a Dallas Fan, and I think that was total bs, but lets not overreact (not that ATOT would ever do that stuff goes on on the field all the time that you never see.
Not sure. The same local media mentioned that he was talking it over with his family, so there is a possibility he still might file charges. Given Haynesworth's history, it would probably be an easy case for him to win.
The thing is I am all for second changes, but Haynesworth has a history of violence. His conduct mars the sport. If the NFL is only going to give that type of penalty, which amounts to a slap on the wrist to a rich man, then I will boycott their games. I will stop buying merchandise, going to Cowboy games, or participating in any way that brings them revenue. That is disgraceful. In America, we hold our sports heros on too high of a pedestal and therefore they get built-in special treatment. Disgraceful.